A Walk in the Park
by crematosis
Summary: With Steve at his side, Tony's finally starting to take pride in being an omega. But there are always people out there trying to bring him down.


A/N: This will be the first of many fics designed to counteract the mpreg-hating troll that left me an oh so lovely review on one of my other stories. There's a lot of horrible things said in this fic to Tony, but a lot of it came directly from what my troll said. Thanks for practically writing this for me, dude.

Disclaimer: General story idea from my good friend Kigichi, characters from Marvel, most of the horrible slurs from my troll.

From the moment he saw him, Tony knew Steve was the alpha he would one day take as his mate.

Because one of the first words out of Steve's mouth had been, "The way you drink, you better make sure you never get pregnant."

Tony didn't care where Steve had learned that he was an omega. Probably in a SHIELD file somewhere, because SHIELD knew everything. But what really mattered was what Steve was going to do with the information. Most people would be quick to dismiss an omega as an inferior. And since omega rights had made some progress since the 40's, it was natural to assume Steve would think even less of him than most people would. So Tony had held his breath for a long time, waiting for the Captain to demand that he leave the team.

But it hadn't happened.

Steve had breezed right onto other topics like Tony's status had meant nothing to him. And that had meant everything to Tony. He had spent most of his life desperately trying to hide his status, taking heat suppressants, masking his pheromones, and hoping people would assume he was an alpha or even a beta.

And Steve had just accepted him as part of the team.

That didn't mean Tony always got along with Steve. They fought, they argued, they disagreed about almost everything. But even in the middle of reaming him out for his recklessness, Steve always treated him like a person. Gradually, Tony lost the urge to argue with him since it was no fun being an asshole to a good man. And gradually, Steve started to loosen up a little and start really listening when Tony explained why he had deviated from Steve's plans.

It was obvious they were starting to fall for each other. But it had taken a spectacularly botched mission for Steve to gather Tony into his arms and finally kiss the hell out of him. And because this was Tony's life, of course the media had to be present to capture the moment his hormones took over and he was lying on his back, neck bared, legs spread in an obvious invitation for Steve to fuck him, and the scent of his arousal too strong for his pheromone maskers to hide.

He probably still could have denied everything, made up some flimsy excuse to explain away all the obvious omega behaviors. And people would have bought it, because nobody would really believe Tony Stark was an omega.

But he stood at the press conference with Steve at his side and admitted that it was true.

The omega rights' movement had immediately hailed him as a hero, the first openly omega CEO. The general public had been shocked, but to Tony's relief, the scandal seemed to be on the same level as some wild celebrity antics. Everybody was talking about him in the news, but it wasn't actually damaging his career. There had only been a few whispers about an omega not being fit to run a company, but people shut up pretty quickly when he unveiled the newest Starkphone. They didn't have to like him, but there was no arguing with the fact that his tech was the best in the world.

Things were looking so good for him, that with Steve's encouragement, Tony stopped taking his pheromone maskers and heat suppressants. And two heats later, he was pregnant. The world erupted into speculation about the baby's sex. Clint and Natasha had started rival betting pools and even Maria Hill had started making offhand comments about the baby clothes she wanted to buy, if only she knew the right color to get. Tony had no doubt that as soon as the baby was born, he was going to be absolutely drenched in either blue or pink outfits from all the well-meaning SHIELD agents.

But he should have realized that his good fortune wouldn't last forever.

Tony was six months into his pregnancy and really starting to feel the strain on his body. Some days he just wanted to sit down at his desk in the workshop or on the couch and not move at all for the entire day. But Steve insisted that he stay active. So that meant doing mild exercises in the pool once a week and taking a walk around Central Park every few days.

By now, the walk had become more of a waddle, which was embarrassing. But Steve seemed perfectly content to walk a little slower so Tony could keep pace with him. It was romantic strolling through the park, Steve claimed. Even if it was just a lie to make him feel better, Tony still appreciated Steve's effort. After all, he wasn't going to have to put up with him for long.

"So, how far along do I have to be before I can just flop on the couch all day like a beached whale?" Tony inquired.

Steve chuckled. "You don't enjoy our park dates?"

"It's not that I don't enjoy them. I just don't enjoy the walking. Which is pretty much what a park date is. So yeah, I don't really enjoy them. My feet are achy, my back hurts, and I hate using the bathrooms at the park. They're really gross, but since I have to pee every five goddamn minutes, I have no choice."

"We can come up with something else if you really hate the park, but you do need to keep exercising. It'll help with all those aches and pains and make it easier on you when you go into labor. I've got several articles to back me up."

"Oh, I believe you," Tony said. "Still doesn't mean I like it."

"Alright," Steve said. "Less walking, more swimming. How's that sound?"

Tony grinned. "It's a start."

Early in his pregnancy, he had convinced Steve that going for a few quick flights to test upgrades on his suit totally counted as exercise. But sadly, his belly had gotten too big to fit under the armor now. Still, swimming gave him a little bit of the wonderful feeling of weightlessness that the suit did. So, it was better than nothing.

He nudged Steve's side. "But you can't hold my hand while I'm swimming, can you?" That was probably the main reason Steve really wanted him to go walking as exercise. Steve kind of had a thing about showing him off as his mate.

But Steve didn't seem to be paying attention to his teasing. "Huh," he said. "The park's usually not crowded this time of day."

Tony followed Steve's gaze. There was a large group of people standing in the middle of the grass, holding picket signs. Tony could read the writing on just two of the signs, but they proclaimed, "Omegas are freaks" and "Omega sluts are only good for a fuck." And that was all Tony needed to know about these people.

"Steve," he said urgently. "We should leave." He pressed up against Steve's side, his heart hammering in his chest.

"Ignore them," Steve said. "We'll go a different route today."

He led Tony onto another stretch of sidewalk, one that would take them in a big loop around the park far from the hate group.

Tony breathed a sigh of relief, until they turned a corner and came face to face with a smaller group of protesters walking up the sidewalk. He stiffened. There was no way to get out of the situation without bolting like a coward. Although that was a tempting idea.

A girl in her twenties, who looked like the leader of the group, approached leisurely. "Oh, look. It's Captain America and his omega."

Steve put an arm around Tony's shoulder protectively. "We're trying to have a nice, quiet morning, so if you leave us alone, we'll leave you alone."

"Tell that to his kind," the girl hissed. "Always shoving it down our throats that they exist. Noisy, irritating little sluts that want their existence to be validated all the damn time. Why don't you stay in the bedroom where you belong and leave the rest of us in peace?"

Tony took a step backward as she spat in his direction. "Steve," he said quietly. "Can we-"

"That's right," said one of the other protesters. "Better ask your alpha for permission. God knows you little sluts can't think for yourselves."

"I'm only going to say this one more time," Steve said. "We're not doing anything to you, so you need to back off."

"Or what?" the girl purred. "What are you going to do, hit me? I didn't think the great Captain America hit defenseless women. I'm sure it will be bad for your image if word got out." She indicated one of the men holding up a cellphone, likely videotaping the whole confrontation.

"Only when they threaten the safety of my mate and unborn child."

"Oh, please. You don't give a damn about that baby. It's nothing more than a status symbol. Proof to the world that your seed was strong enough to knock him up."

"You're wrong. I couldn't be happier to be a father."

"Of course you are," the girl cooed. "Everyone and their nonexistent mother is happy about this baby. But I'm not so sure you're really going to be a father. Because we all know Tony's been around the block a few times."

Steve's jaw tightened. "Tony is not-"

"Oh please. That little whore's probably jumped into the back of every pimped out car in the city for a taste of cock. His ass is probably a Slip 'n Slide by now."

"You should name the baby Slipper," said a middle aged man. "Because it's going to slide right out of that gloryhole like it's been greased with Vaseline."

"Surprised it hasn't fallen out already," said another man. The two shared a laugh.

"And regardless," said the girl. "With the way he drinks, the baby's going to be born a drooling retard. But I guess that's all we can expect with a man for a mother. No child you give birth to is ever going to amount to anything. And neither are you. You're just an omega desperately trying to convince the world that you count as human. But no matter what you say, it's all empty words. Just spittle coming out of the mouth of someone infected with rabies."

Tony took another step back as she came closer. His chest felt so tight he could barely breathe.

"No man is ever going to love you," the girl continued in a sing-song voice. "Not even your precious Captain. He's just going to fuck you until your body is all used up and worn out. And then he's going to leave you with that fuck trophy. You should try Planned Parenthood. Or better yet, do us all a favor and kill yourself."

Steve stepped in front of Tony, shielding him with his body. "I warned you," he snarled. He ripped the picket sign out of the girl's hand and hit her across the face with it.

She crumpled to the ground, a hand cupped under her bloody nose. "Are you getting this, George?" she shrieked. She spat a few teeth into her palm. "Look what he did to me."

George just stood there in shock.

"And the same goes for the rest of you, if you don't get the hell out of here," Steve snapped. "Move."

Wisely, the rest of the protesters decided to scatter.

Steve gathered Tony into his arm, holding him tightly against his chest as he started to shake and sob. "It's over," Steve said soothingly. "They're not going to bother you again. I'll make sure of it."

"You can't," Tony choked out. "They're not the only ones out there."

"We'll get to them when we see them," Steve said. "But this sends a message to all the other hate groups out there that their behavior isn't tolerated."

Tony shut his eyes and buried his face in Steve's chest. It was humiliating having a panic attack over a few words. But then again, he was an omega. And omegas were always more fragile and emotional than alphas and betas. Just another reason to hate his status.

Steve carried him all the way back to the Tower, murmuring soothing words to him. And once they arrived, Steve eased him down onto a couch in the den and said, "I'll make you pancakes."

"Steve, it's almost noon," Tony said tiredly.

"So? If McDonald's serves breakfast all day, so can I. And I know you love pancakes. Especially with strawberries and whipped cream on top."

Tony forced a smile. Steve knew him too well.

So he just curled up into the couch and tried to block out the sound of Steve's humming as he prepared the pancakes.

"I don't understand how people can be so cruel," Steve said as he put the plate of pancakes down on the end table. "Why would anyone make it their life's work to ridicule and antagonize omegas?"

"Because we're freaks."

"No, you're not."

"Yes. There's the heats, the pheromones, an the whole men bearing babies thing. And only five percent of men in the whole world are omegas. Five percent, Steve."

"I doubt that number's accurate," Steve said. "There's probably a lot more omegas out there, hiding out as betas, just like you did for all those years."

"And if it is accurate?"

"Then I'd consider you a miracle, not a freak. You have a rare ability that you share with a small percentage of the world. In my opinion, omegas should be cherished and revered instead of treated as sub-human."

"But I am sub-human," Tony said with a sigh. "Omegas were the last to get the right to vote and for awhile, they had no choice about abortions. It was all up their alpha or beta mate. But now, I really could walk into Planned Parenthood and get an abortion."

Steve cupped Tony's face in his hands. "I won't stop you if that's what you want to do, but I don't really think it is. You wouldn't be discussing names with me if you didn't want the baby."

"But I'm not going to be a good mother," Tony whispered hoarsely. "Everything they said about me, it's all true."

"No, it's not," Steve said. "I know for a fact that you've been faithful to me. And Jarvis can confirm that."

"Correct," Jarvis said. "Sir has slept with no one besides Captain Rogers for the last ten months."

"Ten months," Tony said bitterly. "That's not even a year. How is that any indication of long-term faithfulness?"

"Doesn't matter," Steve said. "All it proves is that this is my baby. No need for a paternity test."

Tony opened his mouth to object, but Steve cut in again. "I know what I said when we first met, but you stopped drinking the moment you found out you were pregnant. And you even switched to decaf. If that's not proof of how committed you are to being a good mother, I don't know what is. Our baby's lucky to have you as its mother."

"Aw, babe," Tony said faintly. Steve just had a way with words.

Steve leaned in to nuzzle against his neck. "You know what else they've got wrong? I'm never going to leave you. You and the baby are going to be stuck with me for the rest of your lives."

Tony grinned and put looped his arms around Steve's neck to pull him into a kiss. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Steve nipped at his jawline. "Why don't I make you a cup of decaf with whipped cream on top?"

"And sprinkles," Tony said. Because while Steve was willing to spoil him, he might as well go all out.

"Mm," Steve said agreeably. "And then i'm going to fuck you right on this couch to prove how gorgeous I think you are."

"Steve!" Tony said with a laugh.

Steve's eyes twinkled as he speared a forkful of pancakes and held it to Tony's mouth. "Eat up. You'll need the strength for later."

Tony happily swallowed his mouthful. He was so lucky that the worst of humanity brought out the best in his mate.


End file.
